How much difference will Ukip and other Eurosceptic parties make in Europe? Not much unless they engage with the legislative process, argues Abta head of public affairs Stephen D’Alfonso
Europe had two important votes in May. The first was the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, where the bearded Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst was voted to Eurovision glory. Last week, Europe again was asked to cast a vote, this time to elect representatives to the European Parliament. Both showed Europe’s rich diversity.
A lot has been said in the last week about the European election, and the strong showing in the UK and other EU Member States of populist and Eurosceptic parties (let’s call them PEPs).
There’s no doubt that the establishment political parties across Europe have lost ground to the PEPs, who will hold more seats than ever before. As extraordinary as the rise of the PEPs is, it is worth remembering that the establishment political groupings received a strong majority of votes, and still make up three quarters of the seats in the Parliament.
With the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) remaining the largest grouping in Parliament, we are likely to see a high degree of continuity in many EU policy areas, including the revision process of the Package Travel Directive (PTD).
On the Council side of the legislative equation, Member States are continuing to review and scrutinise the Commission’s PTD draft. Parliament will resume their work in the autumn; but before then, MEPs have to form political groups and bargain over positions on various Committees of the Parliament.
Many of the UK MEPS with whom Abta has worked closely over the last few years will return to Brussels, including many who have shown a keen interest in the industry’s issues. So, with this degree of continuity, Abta is strongly placed to represent the voice of Members in Brussels.
The big question – to which providing an answer is difficult – is to what extent the PEPs will influence the legislative programme in Brussels. This will be dependent on a number of factors.
Not only do the establishment parties outnumber them, but the PEPs are very diverse, with each Member State’s PEPs holding vastly different values and objectives. With little in common beyond their profound Euroscepticism, they have in the past proved unwilling to work together.
Much will depend on PEP’s ability to create common political positions in Europe; however, in the case of the United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) and the Front National in France, these European elections are being treated as a stepping stone to domestic electoral gain, rather than an opportunity to engage in the Brussels legislative process.
Ultimately, the influence of the PEPs on the decision-making process will depend on whether they choose to engage at all, and if so, how.
Ukip has not always engaged fully in the Brussels legislative process; yet, with 24 MEPs, UK voters have tasked them with the important responsibility of representing them, and ensuring balanced, workable legislative solutions from Brussels.
Our MEPs have an important job to represent the UK’s interests at the Brussels negotiating table. Whatever their views on the merits of European membership for the UK, they should not walk away from this responsibility.